US LNG producer Cheniere Energy has loaded the largest LNG carrier ever to call at its Sabine Pass terminal in the US.
The company circulated photos of Mitsui OSK Lines' 263,000-cbm MOL FSRU Challenger (built 2017) at the Louisiana-based terminal.
The FSRU left the facility on 29 April and is heading for Asia.
Broker reports show the vessel was fixed by Cheniere for a voyage from the US in a market that has been rapidly heating up both for period and spot business.
The FSRU, the world’s largest, was not intended for spot trading.
The vessel was originally built for a project in Uruguay. When this collapsed, the FSRU found employment in Turkey in 2018, where it has been deployed as a FSRU under a three-year contract with state energy company Botas that was later extended.
Replaced by a Botas own newbuilding, the MOL FSRU then picked up spot market business that will position it into Asia.
TradeWinds understands that after the supersize FSRU discharges it will go into a shipyard in the Far East for modifications.
The MOL FSRU Challenger is fixed on a long-term basis to serve as the regasification unit for CLP Power in what will be Hong Kong’s first LNG import project.
CLP’s project was originally due to start up in 2020 but has been set back until 2022.
Those working with the FSRU indicated that it may become available for some further spot business before it has to head to Hong Kong to start its long-term charter.
